Braden's Surgery and Fun Visitors.

Braden's strabismus (lazy eye) surgery was scheduled for December 21st. We got up bright and early. Brielle stayed home with my brother. I'm so grateful he is here and he is able to help us out when we need him. We got there and everything went as we had anticipated. Everyone was so nice and friendly which helped my nerves.

Waiting to go to the O.R....killing some time playing with the ipod.

...still waiting...

I HAD to take a shot of Braden's cute little bum in his hospital gown...

I got (it's not an exciting "got" but instead a dreaded "got") to go in with him before they put him under the anesthesia. He was really sad and was clinging to me with all of his might and strength! I had to force him to lay down and then the anesthesiologist grabbed his little head and put on the mask with the anesthesia. In less than half a minute he was out! My poor little guy!

The surgery took less than an hour. They called us in to come see him, at first he was still mellow, trying to wake up from the anesthesia...we thought, "oh this isn't too bad..." but we spoke too soon...within a few minutes he was INCREDIBLY upset! He was screaming bloody murder!...he kept rubbing his eyes and was trying to rip his IV out! We finally decided that it was the IV that was making him so upset...after the nurse took it out he calmed down...but it was quite intense there for a while.

We got to come home right away. His little eyes were VERY sensitive to light, they were red and had a little bruising right at the bottom...he just wanted to be held and loved...

...and he wanted ice cream. Scott wrapped a scarf around his little eyes and he was able to enjoy his ice cream cone!

The doctor told us his eyes would be blood shot for a few weeks...I guess I didn't realize how bad it was really going to be...but other than that, he was back to being his old little self in just a few hours with the exception of the lights. We had to keep them dim for the rest of the day.

Later that day, our good friends Jonathan and Daija with their little boy Bridger came to visit us. They stayed with us for a couple of days. It was sure nice to see them and spend time together talking, eating and playing games (our favorite thing to do whenever we get a chance to hang out with them). I think this visit the girls kicked some guy trash! Daija and I won at Canasta and I won at Settlers! It's always a joy when we can be winners!:)

On Tuesday, we all headed to the U.S. Botanic Garden in D.C. I love going there because there is beauty everywhere you turn!

There was an awesome exhibit when we went. Everything in the exhibit was made of plant-based natural materials...and it has little trains everywhere going around. Of course, Braden LOVED it!

Look! A choo-choo train!

There it comes again...choo-choo...

It amazes me what people can create with their hands! This whole place was just incredible!

All made from plant-based materials...crazy!

So much beauty everywhere! Every single flower or plant at the Botanic Garden looks as perfect as this one!

Bridger...just yummy!

It was so fun to see Jon and Daij.

Thanks for coming to play with us guys! We had a great time!

Never a dull moment in Brielle's life...therefore never a dull moment in the life of anyone in Brielle's family.

Cute little family.

I'm telling you...never a dull moment...

Throwing snowballs outside of the Botanic Garden.

...and can I say BEAUTIFUL! The U.S. Capitol Building is so aesthetically pleasing!

I'm not looking forward to the day when we have to move away from this beautiful place...it's will certainly be a very sad day. It's a good thing we aren't moving any time soon...:)

Gingerbread House.

Sunday evening, we decided to make our gingerbread house. We bought a kit at Target and we were so happy we did! It was perfect!

This was our first time as a family that we've decorated a gingerbread house...it's so fun to start our own traditions and spend time together as a family! It just keep getting more and more fun by the year!

Scott did such a good job decorating with the frosting! I love that face...he's concentrating really hard!:)

Brielle was really into it! She did such a great job too!

Braden was more interested in eating it!

The final product!

Snow.

My mom called me Friday night worried because she heard in the news that a really bad storm was on its way to D.C. area. I had also heard about it in the news but didn't realize how bad it would be.

On Saturday we woke up to this:

...it snowed all day.

With so much nice white powder we figured it would be fun to go sledding.

It was BAD out there!

...but the kids had a blast!

Later on Saturday we heard that our ward's Christmas party was cancelled. The whole world stops here when it snows! After living here though, I completely understand why. It just doesn't snow enough here for people to be used to this kind of weather...and we got 2 feet within a 24 hour period! 2 feet! That is a LOT of snow in one day!

This is on Sunday. Church was cancelled.

We were buried in snow.

Everyone was out there shoveling their cars... it took Scott almost 3 hours clear our car.

Brielle was loving life.

...and so was Braden.

They both played out there for a long, long, long time.

Brielle was having the time of her life playing with Baxter, our neighbor's dog. He is soooo cute and loves Brielle!

I have to give my brother credit for all of these pictures! He is awesome with the camera!:)

Braden is terrified of Baxter so he just did his own thing. He was mesmerized by the snow.

Such joy in her face. Just priceless.

There was sooo much snow!

Mocos...and rosy cheeks!:)

Is snow really that tasty?

My husband was shoveling for almost 3 hours! We haven't see this much snow since we moved from Idaho...

Scott got creative and tied plastic bags around his shoes, since he doesn't have snow boots.

I guess we are having a white Christmas this year!:)

The National Tree & Santa.

Last Friday, after Scott's last final of the semester we headed to the National Tree and to see Santa.

I was jumping for joy at the thought that we get to have Scott for two weeks!!!

This is the cutest little Santa's Workshop! I'm so happy we got to go and I think we'll definitely come every year we are here! I had a MUCH better experience here than at our mall's where they rip you off! At this Santa's Workshop they took a picture and gave us a 5x7 for free!!!...and we could take pictures with our camera too! That's what I'm talking about!

...and look how cute it is inside...

...the elf lady in the picture was so friendly...

I'm so excited to see Santa...I just can't hide it! OH! my heck! I'm crazy! I was in kind of a silly mood that day!:)

Brielle was so excited the whole time we were standing in line until she actually saw Santa and then she started freaking out and crying! We were soooo surprise that she got scared! Braden was such a good sport and after they took the picture he sat on his lap and told him what he wanted for Christmas. Brielle wanted NOTHING to do with him...after we walked out I asked Brielle why she got so scared? She said that he didn't have his hat on.

Later that day, we were saying prayers before bed and this was her prayer:

"Heavenly Father, please bless that my mom might listen to me that the Santa today was different and he didn't have his hat on and stuff...Thank you for the other Santa at the mall that had his hat on and wasn't different..."

I had to convince her that there is only ONE Santa and that this time around Santa was just hot and that's why he wasn't wearing his hat! We shall see how long she believes me...she is just too smart for her own good!:)

Static.

So happy to have seen Santa!


Braden was keeping Scott's ears warm.

The White House.

Being silly...the only way that we could get our kiddos to look at the camera!

I miss this man so much when he's studying! He's mine and ONLY mine for the next two weeks. I'm not sharing him with books!

He was checking me out...I think he likes me too...:)